This invention relates to a machine tool. More particularly, the invention relates to a lathe.
According to the invention, there is provided a lathe which includes
a support structure;
a holding means mounted on the support structure, the holding means being in the form of a multi-spindle magazine which is able to hold a number of operative workpieces; and
a plurality of workstations, one associated with each operative workpiece, a plurality of cutting tools being arranged, in use, in each workstation and the workstations being indexable relative to the holding means such that various machining operations can be sequentially carried out at each workstation on its associated operative workpiece so that a finished item is completed at each workstation simultaneously.
The support structure may include a support post, a carriage being slidably arranged on the support post and the magazine being rotatably supported by the carriage.
A housing may be arranged on the support member. The housing may include a drive mechanism, coolant reservoirs, etc.
A workstation head may be mounted on the housing, the workstation head defining each workstation. The workstation head may be displaceably arranged on the housing. Firstly, the head may be rotatably displaceable with respect to the housing to facilitate the indexing of the workstations. Secondly, the workstation head may be displaceable towards and away from the housing along a longitudinal axis of the holding means.
The lathe may include a control means arranged intermediate the workstation head and an end of the holding means closer to the workstation head for controlling feeding of each workpiece to its associated workstation.
The control means may include a gripping means for releasably gripping each operative workpiece and a rotating means for rotatably driving each operative workpiece to enable the machining operations to be performed on the operative workpieces. The control means may further include a release means for enabling the workpieces to be released from the gripping means.
The gripping means may include a collet for releasably gripping each workpiece to be machined. Each collet may be mounted fast with a planetary gear. Each planetary gear may, in turn, be rotatably driven by a sun gear which is rotated via the drive motor housed in the housing. Thus, the rotating means may comprise the sun gear and the plurality of planetary gears. The release means may be a pneumatic diaphragm housed atop the collets or an electromagnetic system.
The magazine may be configured to hold a set of spare workpieces associated with, and in addition to, each operative workpiece. By xe2x80x9coperative workpiecesxe2x80x9d is meant those workpieces on which machining operations are being, or are to be, carried out. Then by xe2x80x9cspare workpiecesxe2x80x9d is meant that while certain workpieces, the operative workpieces, are having machining operations carried out thereon, other workpieces, being the spare workpieces, are held in reserve adjacent their associated operative workpieces for subsequent machining operations, once the operative workpieces have been depleted, without the need for constant supervision to reload the magazine.
As described above, each workstation may include a plurality of working tools. Thus, for example, each workstation may have a parting tool, a turning tool, a screw-cutting tool, a boring tool and a plurality of drilling tools. Those skilled in the art will, however, appreciate that the actual arrangement of tools selected will be dependent on the machining operations to be carried out on the various workpieces. However, each workstation will have the same selection of working tools.
The lathe may be computer controlled. Accordingly, a control cabinet may house control circuitry which controls operation of the lathe, in use.